[Trainer-talk] Trainers Of Deaf-Blind

Sat Feb 23 16:01:36 UTC 2013

Hi everyone, 
I think this is the perfect place to share strategies! We are all , more
than likely, going to be working with the distribution program in one way or
another...
I have to preface this, after writing most of it, it's pretty lengthy, and
might be one reason to take it off list :) After re-reading it, it seems a
bit disjointed as well, but I am tight on time right now, and cant' really
think of a better way to organize it, unless I take a few minutes, and try
to treat is as an essay or something :)

I've had pretty limited experience with DB clients, and the two I have
worked with were verbal, and could oral communicate questions to me. They
both had hearing aids, and could hear me, if conditions were just right, so
we used Braille communication, primarily. 

I connected an Apex to Wi-Fi, and configured Chat for the client, and used
my iPhone and Braille display for my communication tool. The Apex was simply
a communication tool, and was configured to where it needed to be, in chat,
to just "work." I used it to type messages to the student, who I was
teaching to use VoiceOver on an IMac.  We were on a job site, and the client
was in traiing for a new position, so I also acted as an interpretor,
transcribing, to the best of my ability, what the trainer was trying to
teach... it wasn't the most ideal environment, but it worked for us at the
time. 
I decided to try the same approach, when teaching this same person to use
his iphone with Braille display. I used the Apex to give instruction, until
the client was comfortable navigating around the phone, and could use the
imessaging to communicate back to me.  I have decided, that if another
client wishes to learn to use a BrailleNote, I'll probably have one
BrailleNote set up as a dedicated communication terminal, and provide the
client with another BrailleNote to actually work with, until there is a
level of comfort switching among open programs on the device, and he/she can
independently move into Chat to ask a question, the remove the communication
device, and have the client practice with the actual device he/she is
training on... I have decided as well, that the next time I find myself in a
situation like that, I will have a handful of Braille notecards, with
predetermined phrases, to communicate to the user if I need to handle their
device for some reason... Not sure how that will work just yet :) 
By providing the client with the Apex, basically as a Braille writer, and
using another device, the client maintained control of one side of the
communication, and this seemed to put him at ease. There was a time, when we
had to hand the Apex back and forth, and the client was uncomfortable with
the arrangement...
I chose the BrailleNote Apex as the communication device, because it is the
device I am most comfortable with.  I leave the speech enabled, so if they
accidently get out of chat, or into a chat menu, I can hear it. 

I have not, yet, worked with a client, who's preffered communication method
is ASL or tactile sign. I have however, connected with the local Commission
for the Deaf, and started asking questions about interpretors, and whether
they have interpretors with technology background of any kind, who could use
either or both ASL and tactile sign. They are still looking at their pool of
interpretors, and we have agreed, if they do not find someone, I will work
with the interpretor, as an in-service type training, to help the
interpretor gain a level of comfort with the technology, before we need to
work with a client.  If the interpretor doesn't understand the technology in
play, and this is my opinion, they cannot effectively translate concepts to
the client. 

When training my client to use his iphone, I had a felt velcrow O&M kit from
APH, and I would recreate screen shots. I put Braille lables below each
"icon" for the home screen, to help provide some orientation to the screen.
NBP now has tactile screen shot kits for sale for $27... The advantage to
the kit, less up-front work for you, disadvantage, not every home screen is
the same... I'm not giving up my velcrow tactile kit just yet :)

Laine

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
laotab
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 10:21 PM
To: 'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology'
Subject: Re: [Trainer-talk] Trainers Of Deaf-Blind

Hi,
To get you going, do you mean how to learn how to train a deafblind client?
I am blind and I knew a deafblind girl.  She put her fingers to a persons
mouth if they couldn't sign in her hand and standard, letter by letter, sign
language was fine.
I do not know Braille and I knew the alphabet and very little of contracted
sign language when I was sighted but even less now.

So to train the deafblind, do you need to be fluent in both?

Thanks,
Bridget

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dr.
Denise M Robinson
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 11:20 AM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
Subject: Re: [Trainer-talk] Trainers Of Deaf-Blind

Deaf-Blind people looking for a trainer, email me off list and I can get
you going. This is a wonderful field now with the great technology

just a sample--has hearing aides and visual impairment with braille
display: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x9yE08w2ZY

*Dr Denise*

Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
CEO, TechVision, LLC
Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
423-573-6413

On Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 11:13 AM, Marci Duty <marci.smiles at gmail.com> wrote:

> Michael and list. I too would like to be put in touch with that terrific
> instructor. Below, please find my contact information.
>
> Thanks, smiles and enjoy a super weekend.
>
> Marci Duty
> Christal Vision Inc.
> E-mail:  marci.smiles at gmail.com
> Office:  (469) 522-1803  Mobile:  (214) 732-5788
> San Antonio Fax:  (210) 662-7559  Office:  (800) 299-0700
> **Be mindful that happiness isn't based on possessions, power, or
prestige,
> but on relationships with people we like and respect.**
> Learn more about our blindness and low vision products.
> Visit our web sites.
> www.christalvision.com
> www.lowvisiongear.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trainer-talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Michael D. Barber
> Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 9:58 AM
> To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
> Subject: [Trainer-talk] Trainers Of Deaf-Blind
>
> If anyone knows of any trainer who is good at training the deaf-blind on
> technology such as iPads, iPhones, etc., please let me know.
>
>
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> Cordially,
>
> Michael D. Barber
>
> (515) 771-8348
>
>
>
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-- 
*Dr Denise*

Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
CEO, TechVision, LLC
Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
423-573-6413

Website with hundreds of informational articles & lessons on PC, Office
products, Mac, iPad/iTools and more, all done with
keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com

"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it." --Chinese Proverb

Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid: humans are incredibly
slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond
imagination.
--Albert Einstein

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
--Walt Disney
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